Don't Forget About Us
by MandyCakes
Summary: After she and Elliot are in an accident, Olivia can't remember the last seven years of her life. Will Elliot's need to help her destroy his already waning marriage? Or will Olivia push him away? EO
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Law and Order: SVU. _

_A/N: This story takes place around the middle of season six, right before Kathy and Elliot's split. Also, I really don't know when Olivia started working at SVU…I'm kind of new viewer to the show and I watch episodes on USA when I can, but I probably missed it if they mentioned it. If anyone knows, be sure to mention it in your review. (hint-hint). _

**_16th Precinct, 5:49 p.m._**

"Elliot, Olivia…we got a lead…ex-husband of the victim had a major motive for murder…his name is James Roberts-74 West 60th street. Check it out," Captain Cragen told the two detectives as they stood and grabbed their jackets.

"Man, it's really coming down out here," Olivia said about the snow, wrapping her coat around her. "Yeah…it's supposed to get really bad tomorrow," Elliot unlocked the vehicle and they got in. As they got closer to his address, the snow became worse. "Damn it…I can barely see," he struggled to see out the windshield.

"It's okay...we're almost there," Olivia reassured him. Little did she know, they would never get there.

_**Mercy General Hospital, 6:24p.m.**_

"Where's my partner? Let me see her!" Elliot struggled against the two nurses and doctor that were trying to bandage him up.

"Sir…the doctors are with her…calm down…you have a minor concussion," one of the nurses advised him.

"I don't care…I need to see Olivia," he frowned up them, suddenly feeling very tired…

"_It's okay...we're almost there," she had said squinting to see the street signs. "Whoa…the road's slick right here," Elliot suddenly gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Oh my God...El!" she clutched his jacket tightly, seeing the car barreling toward them at an incredible speed. He didn't have time to react. The other car rammed into them on the passenger side. Olivia had lost consciousness immediately. "Liv…" Elliot mumbled, seeing the blood trickle from her forehead. He heard the sirens in the background as he blacked out._

_**7:58p.m.**_

"Elliot…Elliot can you hear me?" he faintly heard a familiar voice call his name.

He slowly opened his eyes, and the woman came into view.

"Hey honey," Kathy said, smiling at her husband. "Hey. Where are the kids?" Elliot wondered.

"I didn't wanna bring them out in the weather. Maureen is keeping an eye on everyone. Cragen was here. He just went back to the station," she sighed, pulling a chair close to the bed.

"Where's Olivia? How is she? I need to see her," he sat up, maybe a bit too quickly because he felt really dizzy when he did.

"She's in a coma, Elliot. She had a major blow to the head. She won't need surgery, but the doctors aren't sure how long it could be before she wakes up," Kathy explained, noticing that the worried look etched on his features didn't go away.

"I need to see her. Will you take me to her room?"

"Elliot…you really need to rest," she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Kathy _please._ I want to be there for her. Maybe she'll respond to me," the determination in his voice was convincing enough.

"Okay…come on."

Kathy wheeled Elliot into the room where Olivia was. She lay on her bed, seemingly sleeping soundly. "Excuse me, nurse? How is she?" Elliot gazed up at her from his wheelchair.

"Well, her left arm is broken, she has a lot of cuts and bruises, and she suffered a major concussion…the doctor isn't sure when exactly she'll wake up. Familiar voices usually help. Just try talking to her," the nurse gave the two of them a smile then left them alone with her.

"Liv?" he scooted closer to her, taking her hand in his. Kathy averted her gaze, uncomfortable with the situation. She knew how much Elliot cared for Olivia. They were close. But it bothered her. Having a beautiful woman like Olivia working so closely with her husband day in and day out worried her at times.

"Can you hear me? Olivia, I need you to wake up…please." He brought her hand to his lips as tears clouded his eyes. "This is all my fault, Liv…I'm so sorry," he cried, feeling Kathy's hand on his shoulder.

"This is not your fault. The weather was bad…the other car lost control…you're not to blame," Kathy tried to reassure him.

"We should've stayed at the station," Elliot shook his head.

"You guys were just doing your job."

He sighed, resting his elbows against the edge of her bed. All he could do now was wait. And pray.

_**3:12 a.m.**_

"Elliot? Your partner is regaining consciousness," the nurse roused him from his light sleep. "I'll take you to her room," she told him. "No it's okay…I can walk," he told her, still a little sore but able to make it to her room. The doctor was standing on the far side of her bed, filling out a chart. Olivia opened her eyes groggily.

"Olivia?" he touched her cheek. "Hey," he grinned slightly as she turned toward him, glad to see that she was okay.

She looked up at him, a blank expression crossing her features. "Who…who are you?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with Law and Order: SVU. _

_A/N: This story takes place around the middle of season six, right before Kathy and Elliot's split. Also, I really don't know when Olivia started working at SVU…I'm fairly a new viewer to the show and I watch episodes on USA when I can, but I probably missed it if they mentioned it. If anyone knows, be sure to mention it in your review. (hint-hint)._

"Olivia?" he touched her cheek. She looked up at him, a blank expression crossing her features. "Who…who are you?" Olivia asked, looking a bit scared.

Elliot's heart skipped a beat. "I'm…I'm Elliot. Your partner…Liv, it's me," he searched her brown eyes for some sort of recognition. She removed her hand from his, feeling uneasy.

"What happened to me?" she looked up at the doctor.

"Olivia, I'm Dr. Jones. You and Elliot were in a car accident yesterday. Do you remember?"

"A car accident? No…" Olivia shook her head, tears filling her eyes. "Okay…what's the last thing you remember?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I went to work, came home, it was late…I ate a late dinner…then went to sleep," she replied nervously.

"Can you tell me the date?" Dr. Jones glanced at Elliot, who was staring at Olivia.

"Um…March 15th… 1998," Olivia told them. Elliot sighed, and shook his head.

"Olivia...there's no easy way for me to tell you this…" Dr. Jones sighed, looking over his chart, a somber expression crossing his features. "We performed a CAT scan when you were admitted to the hospital yesterday. Everything appeared normal, but…"

"What?" she knew it was something terrible.

"It seems as if you may be suffering from some form of traumatic amnesia. Today's date is November 14, 2004," the doctor informed her as tears escaped her eyes.

"What? Oh my God…" a stunned look crossed her face as tears escaped her eyes. Olivia looked at the two men, the one on the right stared down at her with concern.

"Olivia…" He started to wrap his arm around her, but then realized he didn't know what to do. Elliot somberly watched her cover her face and sob. Her day was getting worse by the minute. He tried his best to comfort her, not doing a very good job. She finally succumbed to fatigue and fell asleep.

"So what can we do about this? Will she get her memory back?" Elliot whispered with Dr. Jones. "There's no way to be sure. Her memory could be triggered by anything, or she may never remember what happened."

"This is terrible. She doesn't know who I am…how am I supposed to help her?" he asked frustrated. "Just talk to her. Let her get to know you again…give her time to trust you," Dr. Jones said as his pager went off. "I have an emergency. I'll be in to check on her later."

He left Elliot with his thoughts. Elliot rubbed a hand over his face, sighing deeply. He sat in the chair next to her bed, unsure of what to do next.

"Olivia. I don't know if you can hear me…it's – it's Elliot. Look, I know you're scared, Liv. I'm scared, too. But I don't want you to worry…I'll be here for you every step of the way. I promise," he took her hand, giving it a squeeze.

_**9:30 a.m.**_

The sunlight coming through the blinds on the other side of the room woke Olivia from her sleep. It took her awhile to realize where she was. Someone was holding her hand. She glanced down and saw the guy from earlier resting his head on her bed. 'What was his name again? Wait a sec…Elliot? That sounds right'. She didn't really want to disturb him, but she needed to go to the restroom. She moved her hand a little, hoping she could slip it out unnoticed. No such luck. He suddenly lifted his head, looking in her direction.

"Hey," he said, clearing his throat.

"Hey," Olivia tried to act as normal as possible. Whatever that was.

"Do you feel okay?" he wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Um…yeah. I guess…um…I have to go to the restroom," she told him slowly getting up. She winced when she put pressure on her right leg. "Let me help you," Elliot offered and was by her side before she had time to protest. "Thanks," she said quietly. Elliot stood by the door, waiting for her in case she needed his help again. Olivia appeared from the bathroom a few minutes later, and she did need help. They sat in silence until Elliot spoke up.

"So…the last thing you remember took place in March of '98?"

She glanced at him. His forehead had a bandage on it, she guessed from the accident they were in. His big blue eyes were red and puffy and he looked like he hadn't had a decent sleep in awhile. But something about him…she could tell he cared. She nodded, "yeah. It was March 15th. The last thing I remember is going to sleep," Olivia gazed down at her hands.

"March…that's about six months before we started working together," Elliot noted.

"We work together? Are you my partner?" she asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah," his eyes lit up, "you remember something?"

Olivia shook her head, and his moment of hope faded. "I remember that I really wanted to work in special victims…guess my wish came true," she gave him a small grin.

"Yep." How she had gotten so lucky as to work with a handsome guy like Elliot was a mystery to her.

"Morning," a nurse entered with a smile, chart in hand. "Hi," Olivia greeted. "How do you feel this morning?"

"Okay," she replied, tucking her hair behind her ears. Considering the circumstances. She checked her vitals and told Olivia she could check out in a couple of days.

"Thanks," she told her, watching her leave. "Umm…Elliot?" her eyes met his.

"Hmm?" Elliot looked at his longtime friend. She looked like she did yesterday. When she knew who he was. It was hard to believe so much had changed in less than 24 hours. "Do I still live in the same place? The apartment complex off of 48th and…" Olivia searched her brain for the other street.

"Yeah…you do. Apartment 4B. Don't worry…I'll take you home," he smiled reassuringly. She grinned back. "Thanks," Olivia replied appreciatively.

"Hey…you don't have to thank me, okay? Don't hesitate to ask me for anything. Ever." Elliot looked at her intently, taking her hand in his. Olivia's heart fluttered at this, and she took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Elliot! There you are! I've been calling your room and- oh. Hi Olivia. You're awake," Kathy walked in the room. "Am I interrupting something?" she wondered, seeing their intertwined hands and the awkward look Olivia had in her eyes. "I'll be right back, Liv. Kathy, can I talk to you outside for a sec?" Elliot stood from his chair, leading his wife outside the room.

"What's going on Elliot?" Kathy seemed upset.

"It's Olivia. She woke up this morning with no memories of the last seven years of her life," he told her, furrowing his brow.

"What? Oh my God," she put a hand to her chest, glancing in the window at Olivia.

"Yeah…" he wanted to be upset at Kathy's attitude earlier, but his concern for Olivia overwhelmed his demeanor. "This is…this is awful. How're you holding up?" she touched his chest.

"Don't worry about me…I'm fine. It's Olivia I'm worried about." Elliot turned towards the window again. She had turned on the t.v. and was resting against the pillow. "She needs all the support we can give her right now," he told her sighing.

Olivia glanced at the window, meeting his gaze. The woman from before was still there, looking at him sympathetically and rubbing his shoulder. 'Who was she? Was he married?' They re-entered the room a few moments later, this time Kathy spoke in a different tone.

"Olivia, this is Kathy…my wife," Elliot introduced them. Boy was this weird. She sat upright as she extended her hand. "Hey Olivia," she smiled. Olivia smiled back, shaking her hand. 'So he _was_ married. Figured.' "Hi." She stayed and made small talk for a while, then left for work.

"Well your wife's nice. She's lucky to have you," she said sincerely, glancing down at her hands.

Elliot grinned slightly. 'She doesn't act like she's lucky sometimes,' Elliot thought, wanting to change the subject. "Yeah."

A couple of days later after visits from Cragen, Munch, Fin, and Casey, Olivia was discharged and Elliot took her home. They sat in silence most of the way. Elliot glanced at Olivia occasionally. She was staring out her window, likely hoping something would jog her memory. "Here we are." He said unlocking her apartment door, following her inside. He sat her bag down and watched her look around.

"Not much has changed…" Olivia observed, glancing back at him.

"I doubt you'd have time to change it if you wanted to," he grinned at her, watching her smirk at his comment.

"Can you um…" she struggled to get her jacket off with her broken arm. "Oh… yeah," he slid the leather off her arm and she smiled gratefully.

She continued to glance around, coming across a picture on her bookshelf. Elliot saw her pick the picture up and stare at it intently. Olivia grinned momentarily, so quickly he would've missed it had he not been watching her. It disappeared, and replacing it came a look of complete sadness. He was looking at her from the side, but he knew she was holding back tears. He walked closer to her, he wasn't even sure she noticed.

"Olivia," he said her name softly, gently touching her back. Elliot looked at the picture. It was Olivia and her mother, taken a few years ago.

"Where is she? Where's my mother? Did she know I had an accident?" her brown eyes were still fixated on the small frame. Elliot sighed. This wasn't getting any easier. He opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it. "Something happened to her didn't it?" Olivia finally looked at him, eyes glistening with tears.

He held her gaze for a second, reluctantly answering yes to her question. "She passed away a few years ago. I'm sorry," Elliot looked at Olivia. She'd already been through so much…he knew she was in pain.

"Liv…" she sniffed, turning to look at him. "It's okay. I mean…maybe it's best I don't remember. Just like I don't remember taking this." Olivia started to cry, placing the frame back on the shelf.

"I remember what you told me after you took this," he began, his crystal blue eyes finding hers, "you had the day off…so you and your mom spent a day together. You guys had lunch, went to the park, and caught a movie. You told me that it was one of the best days you had ever had with your mother. You said it was one of the few times you felt like she didn't blame you for all her problems," he stepped closer to her, pulling her into his arms.

Olivia rested her head on his shoulder, crying softly. "It's gonna be okay." Elliot whispered soothingly leaning his head against hers.

"I hate this…I hate it," she pulled away wiping her face. "I've lost a chunk of my life. I feel so helpless," she turned towards the window, wishing the tears would stop.

Elliot's heart broke for his friend. He wanted her memory back as much as anyone else; he felt helpless too. He walked over to where she was standing, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I know this is hard, Liv. And I'm sorry you have to go through this…but you're not alone. We're all here for you…we all care."

Another tear escaped her eye. Olivia stared down at the street below. She stared at the numerous people living their lives, going about their daily tasks. None of them thinking that in any given moment, everything could change. "Why? Why do you care so much?" she asked through her tears, frowning. No one had ever truly cared for her. What made this different?

Elliot was taken off guard by her question. "Olivia…I don't need a reason to care for you…you're my best friend. I…I care for you because you're you."

"I don' t know _who_ I am anymore." She bit her lip. Elliot wrapped both his arms around her, pulling her into his chest.

"You're a kind, compassionate, honest person, not to mention a damn good friend…you're always putting others feelings ahead of your own. That's what makes you such a great cop, Liv." He softly rubbed her back, trying to reassure her. They sat on her couch, and Elliot consoled her until she had calmed down.

"Feel better?" He glanced down at her, tissue in hand.

She nodded, meeting his gaze. He really did care…he wouldn't have been here if he didn't. "Thanks for staying with me, Elliot."

Elliot grinned slightly, pulling her a bit closer. "We'll get through this together, Liv. I'm not going anywhere."


	3. Chapter 3

_I don't own anything associated with Law and Order: SVU…I just enjoy the show. _

Elliot unlocked his front door quietly, the smell of dinner still hung in the air. He glanced at his watch. 8:28. It wasn't _that_ late, he reasoned with himself. He'd meant to call Kathy and tell her he'd be late for dinner, but he got caught up with Olivia. He had only wanted to make sure she was okay before he left her alone.

He sat his keys down, stepping in the living room. "Hey Dad," Kathleen glanced up from a magazine she was engrossed in, meeting her father's gaze. "Hey honey. How was your day?" he leaned over the edge of the couch, kissing her forehead.

He took his coat off, holding it on his arm. "Okay. How's Olivia doing?" Kathleen sat up in her seat.

"Um…she's doing a little better. It's hard, on her you know? It's hard on all of us." Elliot rubbed his neck. Still stiff from the accident. "Yeah. I can't even imagine. Well, make sure she knows she has the support of your children too."

Elliot grinned slightly, touched by his daughter's concern "I know how fond you guys are of Liv. You can tell her yourself. I'll take you all over there in a couple of days. I'm sure that'll lift her spirits."

"Cool…sounds good."

He sighed, glancing around. "Where's your mother?"

"Oh…um…She's upstairs in the bedroom." She replied, staring at him intently.

"Why you looking at me like that? She's mad at me or something?" Elliot raised an eyebrow expectantly. Kathy had really been nagging him lately…normally about really small things. Sometimes he thought she liked arguing.

"Well…yeah. Kinda. I think she's just under some stress or something. She'll get over it," Kathleen nodded, looking as if she was trying to convince herself more than Elliot.

"Hmm. Right…okay kiddo, I'm gonna head upstairs. Don't read that magazine for too long, it's all garbage," he smirked at her as she rolled her eyes at him, opening the magazine again.

---------------------------------

He entered their bedroom, hearing the shower running. Elliot kicked his shoes off and collapsed on his side of the bed. He let out a large sigh and gazed up at the ceiling, as he had numerous nights in the past when he couldn't sleep. Thoughts of the criminals they dealt with everyday would invade his thoughts, and then he'd immediately think of his children. He'd get up, sometimes two or three times to make sure they were okay. They always were, but even that didn't put his mind at ease.

The only person he could talk to about it was his partner. Olivia was the only one who saw exactly what he saw day in and day out and she was the one who understood what was going through his head. She'd have trouble sleeping too, and often he'd call her. Not to talk about a case, but anything other than that. After he talked to her, somehow it was easier for him to fall asleep. He didn't know why. Kathy surely didn't understand it.

"_How was your day?" she asked him._

"_Okay," he glanced up her briefly, sipping his beer._

"_It's always just okay."_

_He shrugged, "I don't really wanna talk about it, Kathy." Elliot met her gaze._

_She let out a sigh. "You gonna talk to Olivia about it?"_

"_She's my partner."_

Lately she'd been making all these accusations…saying the real reason he'd been at work so long lately was because of Olivia. But she was wrong…Olivia didn't have anything to do with it. They'd had some difficult cases lately…he didn't want Olivia to have to pick up his slack because he couldn't stay a couple hours longer.

Things were going to be different though. He didn't even know if Olivia wanted to come back to SVU to work with him…but that was the last thing he should've been worried about. He just wanted his best friend back. His eyes started getting heavy, as he starting to think about a time when things were much better…

"Elliot." His eyes popped open seconds after he closed them. He sat up, watching Kathy sit on the bed. "Hey babe," Elliot leaned over kissing her lips quickly. She looked him over, as if trying to think of what to say.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you. It slipped my mind…I needed to make sure Olivia was alright before I left," he explained. She stood, combing her hair in front of her dresser mirror.

"How is she doing?" Kathy wondered, turning to face him.

"It's gonna take some time. We'll get through it though," he pulled his shirt over his head. He missed her facial expression. "We?"

Elliot searched her hazel eyes, wondering why she'd asked that. "What do you mean? Yeah…_we_. We being Munch, Cragen, Fin, Casey, myself…and I'd like to think you."

"Elliot, look. I know how much you want to help Olivia through this terrible time. But she's not the only one who needs you…your kids need you too. So do I."

He immediately felt guilty when he saw her eyes water. "Honey, I'm sorry. I've been neglecting you guys. But put yourself in her position for a second. She doesn't have _any _family…the closest she's got to that is me," Elliot stepped close to her, rubbing her arms.

She pulled away slightly, arms crossed. "Why do you always have to be the one to save her, Elliot? Why can't someone else be there for her?"

He frowned at his wife, a dull headache starting to form in his temples. "It's not like that, Kath and you know it. She's my partner…she's got my back and I've got hers. That's how it works," he turned away from her, wanting to calm his voice.

Kathy rolled her eyes. "You use that 'she's my partner' line a lot. That's just an excuse!" she yelled back.

"Don't start with that, please. Why do you keep bringing this up?"

"Because it's always an issue with you, Elliot! It probably always will be!"

"I don't wanna argue with you," he said, "I'm tired…let's just drop it okay? I'm sorry."

"Whatever…" she was interrupted by the creaking of their bedroom door. A blonde head appeared on the other side, blue eyes filled with worry. "Is everything okay? Why are you guys arguing?" Elizabeth Stabler wondered, glancing back and forth between her parents faces. "We're just having a disagreement that's all. Right Elliot?"

He quickly looked at Kathy, then back at his youngest daughter. "Right. It's okay honey. Were you studying?" he wondered. She had a pencil in her hand. "Yeah. I was coming to ask for your help, daddy. It's math."

He grinned. "No problem, sweetheart. I'll be right there." Elliot watched her take one more look at them and reluctantly go back to her bedroom. He looked back at his wife.

"Kathy, listen…" She held her hand up, shaking her head. "Don't El. Just forget I said anything," she walked past him angrily. He opened a pill bottle and found a couple of Tylenol to take for later. His headache wasn't getting any better.

He stepped in the doorway of Lizzie's room. She was at her desk, staring intently at her algebra book. He wasn't fooled…he knew she'd probably heard their entire conversation. The twins had grown up so fast…time was escaping him. "Daddy are you just gonna stand there or come in?" Lizzie smirked at him. He moved around her desk, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"So what're you having trouble with, sweetie?" Elliot leaned closer to her, getting a better look at her worksheet. She gave him a sideways glance and turned in her chair to face him.

"What?" he was confused by her change in posture. "What were you and mom arguing about?" Lizzie crossed her arms, the way her mother had done only minutes earlier.

Elliot shrugged, shaking his head slightly. "We were just having a discussion, that's all," he met his daughter's skeptical gaze.

"Right. You guys seem to be having a lot of those lately," she turned back toward her book indignantly.

"Lizzie…your mother and I are seeing a few things differently right now. But we'll work through it…it's nothing to worry about, alright?" she continued to focus on her book. "Elizabeth…look at me," he turned her small shoulders toward him. She did so reluctantly. "Don't worry okay? We always work through our problems."

"What if this time is different, Dad?" Elliot gazed at his daughter in awe. She was growing up…he couldn't hide things from her anymore. He sighed, running his hands over his face. How did he answer that question? "It won't be."


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I've got major writer's block on this story, not to mention I had to get myself ready for finals. _

_I don't own anything associated with Law and Order: SVU…I just enjoy the show. _

* * *

Olivia turned in her sleep, her navy blue comforter twisted around her small frame. It had taken her awhile to fall asleep after Elliot left. She had laid in her bed for about an hour, trying to get comfortable, which was quite a challenge with her broken arm. She had finally succumbed to fatigue, as her eyelids could stay open no longer. But now she was somewhere she didn't want to be…caught in the middle of a horrible dream…

_Olivia and Elliot stood in a large building, maybe an abandoned warehouse. It was dark, the only light coming from the few streetlamps outside. Elliot grabbed his gun, motioning for her to go one way and him the other. She turned the corner, and glanced back to where Elliot was. Suddenly she heard a gunshot coming from his direction. "Elliot." she whispered. Olivia sprinted to the other side of the warehouse._

_"Where ya goin sweetheart?" someone grabbed her from behind. She gasped, feeling the cool metal pressed against her temple. Olivia struggled with him. "Try that again and you're dead. Got it?" she winced in pain as he gripped her tighter._

_"What'd you do with Elliot? Just let him go," she pleaded with him. He snickered in her ear. "No can do. It's a little too late for Elliot. I didn't want to do it, but he left me no choice." He continued to laugh. An evil, menacing laugh. Tears filled her eyes. "You didn't want to do what?" she dreaded the answer._

_"See for yourself, darlin'," he walked her a several feet to the left. There he lay, in a pool of blood. "No!" she screamed, trying to pull out of the man's grasp. "Ooh. You're a feisty one." He laughed more, turning her around to face him. Olivia studied the man's face…he looked so familiar. "See somethin' ya like? It's been awhile, but I finally found you," the man grinned, pulling her closer._

_His name was…White. Richard White…oh God. Olivia suppressed the urge to vomit. "The good news is I have you all to myself now…" Richard leaned towards her face. She screamed, trying her best to push him away, but it was as if her arms had become useless. She couldn't escape…_

"NO!" Olivia sat up in bed quickly, cold sweat on her forehead. She tried to catch her breath, as she put her hand to her face, realizing that it was damp with real tears.

She ran her fingers through her tousled hair and crawled out of bed, making her way to the bathroom through the dark. 'Where's that damn switch?' Olivia fumbled around a bit then finally found it.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, much different than the one she remembered. Her hair was shorter, dyed lighter, and her eyes…she looked so drained. Cool water found its way on her face as she sighed, trying to recover from that dream.

It had seemed so…real. Richard White…who the hell was that? And Elliot…She closed her eyes again, trying to erase the memory of him, lying lifeless on the ground. She remembered being so scared for him in the dream…she shook her head, wanting to not think about it anymore. "It was just a dream…relax."

She left the restroom, sitting on her bed. The nightstand alarm clock read 5:08. It was still early, but she knew it would be hard to fall back asleep after the dream. She poured herself a glass of apple juice, making her way to the living room couch. "Ow." Something had poked her good arm. It was the edge of a photo album. She pulled it out of the cushion, opening the cover.

Olivia studied the pictures carefully, finally coming to the more recent ones with the SVU squad. There were so many…mostly pictures of her and Elliot. She laughed lightly when she saw one with Elliot trying to stuff a hot dog in his mouth. It looked like it was taken at some barbeque—everyone looked so happy. She looked happy. Olivia wanted to remember Elliot…she wanted to be the person in these pictures again. But how?

-----------------------------------------

Elliot yawned, slowly making his way up the steps that led to Olivia's apartment. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night, between his argument with Kathy and his concern for Olivia. He figured he'd come by early, see how she was doing. He knocked lightly on her door, having her open it a few moments later.

"Hi." She smiled, noting how exhausted he looked. "Hey…how you feel?" Elliot faced her, pulling his jacket off. She took his coat, hanging it up.

"Okay, I guess. I didn't get much sleep though. I had this really bad dream," Olivia explained, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "What was it about?" he studied her…she seemed a little uneasy.

"Um…well…" Olivia walked into the living area, sitting on the couch, "you and I were at a warehouse…we were looking for something- or someone I mean. We went separate ways, and then I heard a gunshot…" she sighed, glancing down at her hands.

Elliot took a seat next to her. "I started to go find you, but then someone grabbed me from behind. I tried to get loose, but he was too strong. He had a gun pressed to my temple…and then- " her eyes started to water at the memory.

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey…you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, okay?" she found his blue eyes…he was always so understanding.

"No, it's fine. I asked him where you were…but he said it was too late for you. Then I saw you…lying in…you were dead. I tried to get away again, but this time I saw the guy's face. I didn't recognize him at first…but then I remembered… Richard White."

Elliot's eyes popped out of his head at her statement. "What? You- you remember him?"

"He's real? Who is he?" Olivia wondered. "White was this creep we put away about six, seven years ago. He tried to hurt you," he explained briefly. "Oh…I see. Why would I remember him?" she frowned. "I don't know. I guess it was kind of traumatic but …the important thing is that you've remembered something."

"Yeah…I just wish I could remember other things. Last night…or this morning I guess, after my dream I couldn't fall back asleep. I found myself flipping through this photo album," she picked it up off the table, "and I came across all these pictures of me with you and everyone else…and I just- I want to remember so bad." Olivia explained, her mocha eyes a bit misty.

Elliot scooted closer to her on the couch, putting his arm around her. "I know you do…I do too. You have to give it time, Liv. I know the doctor said there's no guarantee you'll get your memory back, but I don't believe that. I know you will."

He watched her glance at him and give a half-hearted smile. In that instant, when the sunlight streaming through curtains on the other side of the room touched her face, he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. "I hope so," she replied.

"What is it?" Olivia smirked at the man next to her. Elliot finally tore his eyes away from hers, grinning slightly. "Nothing. I was just thinking." _'Thinking of how beautiful you look right now.' _Elliot felt the heat in his cheeks, embarrassed at his own thoughts.

"About what?" she wondered, watching him shift in his seat, scooting a few inches away from her. _'You can't tell her what you were really thinking about, Stabler. Think, think…' _"Um…I was thinking that you and I should take a little trip."

"Hmm? Where?" she was caught off guard by his suggestion.

"Down to the station. I'm sure everyone would love to see you," he told her. "Yeah. Okay…let's go." He smiled watching her get up and walk to the closet to grab their coats. He ran a hand over his face, shaking off any non-platonic thoughts he had running through his head.

---------------------------------------

Olivia walked closely behind Elliot into the precinct, glancing at things as she went. Maybe if she looked hard enough, she'd remember something.

"Back so soon? I don't get to throw you a welcome back party?" Munch stood when he saw the brunette. "I thought I'd bring her by so she could see everyone." Elliot answered as Munch gave her a hug.

"Where's Fin?" Elliot wondered glancing around. "He caught a case…he'll be back," Cragen answered.

"This is my desk?" Olivia asked, seeing a few pictures she recognized. "Yep…your favorite spot," Munch grinned. Olivia smiled slightly and pulled the chair out, sitting in it. She glanced at the random folders on her desk, letting out a sigh. "You feel right at home, don't ya?" Munch asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I do actually," she smirked, leaning back against her chair. She looked across at what she assumed to be Elliot's desk and imagined how many hours they had spent together, working on cases late into the night.

Her gaze fell on a picture of the two of them…his arm was wrapped around her as they were laughing at something. She placed a hand on her chin, wondering if she had found him attractive before the accident. Probably so…not like it would've mattered. He was happily married with four beautiful kids…they were just partners.

Elliot noticed her staring at the photo. "We took that last summer. One of Dickie's baseball games…his team had just won a tournament." Olivia turned her head and met his intense blue eyes, nodding in understanding.

"I'll bring the kids by tomorrow…they miss you," Elliot watched her get up from the chair, and walk closer to where they were standing. "Really?" Olivia asked.

"You kidding? My kids love you, Liv." She smiled and blushed a bit at his comment, "Oh…okay…well I can't wait to see them."

"You know what I can't wait for? When one of my best detectives comes back to work. What the doc say about that?" Cragen placed his hands in his pockets. "He said I should be good to go by next Tuesday," Elliot replied.

Olivia glanced at Elliot then Cragen, wondering who Elliot would be working with. Before she could open her mouth, Cragen suggested they go into his office to talk.

"Have a seat," he motioned to the cushioned chair in front of his desk. She did as she was told and stared up at her captain.

"Olivia…I know you're going through hell right now. You're handling this better than I think anyone in your situation would…"

"I want you to know that we're all here for you Olivia. Anything you need, don't hesitate to ask," Cragen placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you. I won't," Olivia gave him a small grin.

"Captain-" Olivia began, "I know I'm still recovering from the accident, but I was wondering how you would feel about me coming back to work here? I realize it's way too early for me to do anything but deskwork, but I need to do _something_. I feel so useless sitting in my apartment," she explained.

He leaned against his desk, crossing his arms and letting out a sigh. "I know I don't have any memory of the last six and a half years of my life, but I'm still a cop. And from what I remember, I was good at my job," Olivia shrugged. Cragen shook his head slightly. That was the Olivia he knew- a hard-nosed detective who wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Okay. I want you to come back a week or so after Elliot…that should give your arm some more time to heal. It'll also give you time to reacquaint yourself with some of the basics of being an SVU detective," he told her.

"Thank you…I promise I'll do my best." She stood accepting his hug. "You don't have to promise…you always do."

* * *

Okay…definitely not my best work. I can't help it…I have MAJOR writer's block on this story! I think I know where I want to go with it, but I'm not sure how to get there…if that makes sense. I wrote another chapter, but I'm not sure how to continue…let me know if you want me to. Please review…thanks:D 


	5. Chapter 5

_I don't own anything associated with Law and Order: SVU…I just enjoy the show. _

_­_

Kathy Stabler watched her oldest daughter pull the macaroni and cheese from the oven and sit in next to the ham. It was Thanksgiving- holiday season was in full swing.

She had a lot to be thankful for- her health, the health of her children, a loving husband- although as of late, he'd been preoccupied with other things. Or another person to be more specific.

Olivia's accident had been really hard on him, harder than she'd expected. He'd felt obligated to help her all the time. They were good friends, after all. So she wasn't exactly surprised when Elliot had slyly asked her if Olivia could join them for Thanksgiving dinner.

She'd agreed, of course. He didn't want Olivia to be alone today. And neither did she, really. She just wondered how long Elliot would be catering to her every need.

Elliot walked up the few steps to his front door with Olivia close behind him. "Elliot," he turned around, "I just wanted to thank you again for inviting me to dinner. It means a lot to me." Olivia grinned up at him.

"Well you mean a lot to me." His blue eyes found hers as they shared a moment. Suddenly the door swung open and Kathleen appeared on the other side. "Hey Olivia. I heard you guys pull up," she let them inside and closed the door behind them.

Olivia had barely opened her mouth to say hello when she heard her name being called. "Hey Olivia!" Dickie said excitedly, running to give her a hug. "Hey Dickie…how are you?" Olivia smiled down at the preteen, whom she had become fond of after Elliot had brought them over a few days ago.

"Good. Happy Thanksgiving," he grinned. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too," Olivia chuckled a bit. Elliot shook his head and grinned, hanging their coats on the rack. His children always found some way to make Olivia laugh…he couldn't get enough of her smile nowadays.

Kathy watched as her other three children happily hugged their father's partner, all glad to see she was doing better. She noticed her husband stare at his partner as he carefully hung their coats, then turn away, seeming to catch himself.

"Hi Kathy," she turned her head toward the recipient of her husband's attention. "Hi," she grinned as Olivia gave her a brief hug. "Thank you for having me over today…it's really sweet of you."

Kathy looked at the woman in front of her- the short auburn hair held back with a headband and flipped up, her peach sweater perfectly complementing her olive skin, big almond eyes, and her pouty lips turned into a small smile. She was beautiful…she had to admit it. And she'd always been nice- not to mention her kids loved her. It was hard not to like her. What she didn't like was all the time she had alone with her husband. That's what bothered her.

"It's not problem, Olivia. It's Thanksgiving…and your Elliot's partner. I know how much this means to him," Kathy found her voice as Elliot came closer to her. He leaned in, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Hey honey…what you two chatting about?" he glanced between the two with an eyebrow raised.

"Just girl talk. You guys about ready to eat?" she asked turning into the kitchen. "Yessss! I'm starving," Kathleen touched her stomach briefly, sitting down at the dining room table. "Do you need some help?" Olivia asked Kathy. "Oh, I've got it…thanks though."

Olivia made her way to the table and sat in between the twins at their request. Elliot sat across from her with Maureen and Kathleen on either side of him and Kathy next to Kathleen. "Shall we pray?" Kathy glanced at her husband expectantly once she was seated.

Everyone joined hands and bowed their heads as Elliot began to pray. Olivia watched the tight knit family around her close their eyes and give thanks to a God she wasn't sure she believed in at times. Her eyes closed as well as she started to think. Why would God allow her to lose her memory? Maybe it happened for a reason.

If she hadn't lost her memory, she'd probably be spending Thanksgiving alone…or at best with one of her co-workers. But Elliot was so much more than a partner. Although she couldn't remember, over the last six and a half years something had developed between them- something real.

Real enough that she trusted him with secrets she kept from everyone else. Real enough that he could look at her and almost always know what she was thinking. Real enough to make her feel like someone cared.

She opened her eyes and glanced at the man sitting across from her after he finished the prayer. Elliot's big blue eyes met hers as gave her a reassuring grin. Was God real? She couldn't be sure. But in that moment, Olivia realized their friendship was.

--/------/----------/------------/--------------/--

Please review...feel free to throw random ideas out there...maybe it will cure my writer's block on this story. Thanks :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own rights to our favorite detectives or any other cast members of law and order: svu…I'm just obsessed with the show.**

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Elliot lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling as he thought of the day ahead of him. He had woken up about twenty minutes earlier from a bad dream and was unable to go back to sleep. He hadn't gotten a good night's rest in awhile- not with the slew of vicious murders that had been haunting the city for weeks. 

They had started right before the holiday season- one brutal attack after another…all women. Beaten, raped, and murdered. Although the crimes had been committed in all five boroughs, the vast majority had been in Manhattan.

The murders were taking a toll on everyone in the unit and had especially been daunting to Olivia. She'd come back to work a couple weeks after Thanksgiving and was just getting reacquainted with the job when the murders began. He worried about her being overwhelmed too soon after the accident, but she constantly reassured him she was fine. That was Olivia.

A small grin tugged at his lips as he thought of his partner. She always was stubborn. Amnesia didn't change that. Despite the tough case, Elliot and Olivia had gotten closer and Olivia started to feel more comfortable around him. They talked, joked around, and shared secrets. It was almost as if nothing had changed.

But some things had changed…and they still were…for Elliot anyway. Things at home were becoming worse, and as of late he wasn't sure how to repair his marriage. Kathy and he would argue all the time…it was all they did anymore. And then there was Olivia…

Their relationship was changing too- and not just because of the memory loss. Elliot gained Olivia's trust quickly after the accident and he was able to develop a friendship that, at times, seemed stronger than the one they'd shared before the accident.

Olivia was more open with him about things- her feelings especially. And because of that, Elliot felt like he knew more about her- that their bond was stronger than before.

And then there were times when she'd be talking to him, or laughing at one of his jokes, or just sitting in that desk of hers- that Elliot would look at her, completely mesmerized by this beautiful creature who'd been his partner for so long. He'd wonder why he hadn't noticed all her wonderful qualities before and why that realization made him uneasy. Then he'd look away, trying to focus on the task before him but always having difficulty doing so.

He wasn't sure why. Actually, he didn't want to entertain the question of why his thoughts always came back to her. Just like they were now.

Elliot turned on his side and closed his eyes, hoping to fall asleep and get his mind off his partner.

----EOEOEOEOEOEOEOEOEO----

"Morning," Olivia glanced up from her desk, giving him a smile. "Hey. I bought you some hot chocolate," he grinned back, yawning. "Ooh…thanks. You look tired," she noticed, taking a sip of the drink.

"I look like crap…I know. I couldn't fall asleep last night," he sat down across from her. "You were thinking about the case?" she asked. _Yeah. That and every time I closed my eyes I saw you. _"Yeah…I was. I just wanna get these creeps. I'll feel a lot better once I know they're off the street," he explained. _Then maybe I won't worry about you so damn much. Maybe._

"Yeah…me too. Mmm…this is _really _good cocoa; where'd you get it?" Olivia sipped some more, seeming to be mesmerized by the taste.

Elliot stifled a laugh. "What's so funny?" she asked, momentarily lowering the cup from her lips. "Nothing," he shook his head sitting down, "it's funny because I got it from your favorite coffee shop and you love their hot chocolate. Before the accident, the first time you had some, you reacted the same way. It was like you'd never had it before," Elliot explained grinning.

She grinned back, rolling her eyes. "Hmm…I see. Well, detective, I'm glad you find me amusing," Olivia said, standing to file some papers. His laughter subsided as he tried to tear his eyes away from his partner. _I actually find you quite beautiful. _Elliot watched her burst into laughter as Munch told one of his numerous jokes and he allowed his thoughts to drift back to her, just as they had last night.

He loved seeing her this way…she was so carefree. Even though she was only remembering bits and pieces from the last seven years of her life, she seemed to have accepted things as they were. Olivia seemed happy. And that made him happy.

"Elliot. Elliot!" Cragen's voice filled his ears as he turned his attention toward his superior. "Yeah?" Elliot wondered, standing up. "What's up? You were a million miles away," Cragen asked. "It's nothing…just a little tired. I was thinking about this case again," Elliot replied. It wasn't a total lie.

"Well…I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like we've got another victim," Cragen told him as Olivia appeared by his side. "What happened?" she raised an eyebrow. "Got another victim. It looks like it's related to the other murders, but I need you two to check it out. Here's the address," he handed Olivia a piece of paper. They grabbed their jackets and headed outside.

----

"Hey Melinda. What we got?" Elliot greeted the M.E., who resumed her crouched position over the body.

"37-year old white female, looks like she was strangled with her own scarf," Melinda removed the sheet covering her head and pointed to the bruises on her neck. "There's apparent bruising around her thighs without any apparent DNA evidence. Same M.O. as the other murders. I'm pretty sure this is our guy," she stood.

Elliot frowned, moving closer to get a closer look at the victim. "What's wrong?" Olivia wondered. "Oh God," Elliot covered his mouth, standing upright. "I know this woman. We were in the academy together…Janeen Daniels. She's a cop."

----

"Let me follow you home," Elliot suggested to his partner as she grabbed her things.

"Elliot, I'll be fine. You know my building is secure. Go on home," she urged him. "I don't feel comfortable knowing you're by yourself. Especially after what happened to Janeen.," he explained.

"But Elliot-" Olivia said, but he interrupted her, "No Liv…you heard cap'n…all these victims are women who live alone. I'm not letting you out of my sight until this case is closed," he told her, with an intense look in his blue eyes. Olivia let out a sigh and smirked. No need in arguing. "Okay."

----

Olivia unlocked her apartment door, letting Elliot in behind her. Although she knew she could protect herself, it was comforting knowing he was there for her.

"Thanks Elliot. You know you didn't have to follow me inside," she said removing her coat. "Yeah I did," he replied, walking around her apartment checking everything out. "It's fine, El! Stop worrying," Olivia opened her refrigerator, looking for something to drink.

Elliot walked back into the kitchen, shaking his head. _I wish I could, Liv. But I can't get you off my mind._ "I can't help it..." he told her, his clear blue eyes locked with hers. Olivia grinned slightly, wishing her heart wouldn't beat so fast when he was close to her.

Elliot got lost in her chocolate eyes...allowing himself to take in her beauty momentarily. He shifted backwards, finally putting a little space between them. "I mean...someone has to protect you. You're not as tough as you pretend to be, Liv."

"El, I promise...I'll be okay. I'll lock the door behind me when you leave and won't let anyone in," she insisted, offering him some iced tea. "What'd you call me?" Elliot questioned, watching confusion spread over her face. "Elliot?" she shrugged.

"No...you called me El. You called me that all the time before the accident," he noticed, taking the tea from her. "Oh..." Olivia paused, "...I didn't even think about it." A small smile came to her face. Maybe her memory would come back afterall.

"Well... _El, _go on home. Everything's fine," he sighed, nodding relucantly. "Alright, alright...I'll leave you alone," he walked toward the door. "Thanks Elliot. I'll see you in the morning."

"Be careful," his concerned gaze met hers once more. She smiled, "I promise I will."


End file.
